The first day of the 2012 Conservative Political Action Conference is finally winding down, as the visiting Republicans make their way to secret hotel suite after-parties and other conservative bacchanalia going on around Washington tonight.

The entire spectrum of American conservatism was on display for the opening day on Thursday. Candidates of conservative past (Herman Cain, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry) were on hand, as well as candidates of the movement's future (i.e. Rand Paul, Marco Rubio).

Away from the main stage, white nationalist Peter Brimelow spoke at a panel on the "failure of multiculturalism," convicted Iran-Contra propagandist Elliot Abrams talked about the relative merits of the Arab Spring, and "juggler/pickup artist" Wayne Elise schooled young conservatives in the perils of bipartisan dating.

Overall, it was a spirited start to what promises to be an eventful election-year CPAC. We can only hope that this is a preview to the 2012 RNC in Tampa this summer.